Public Media Corps uses Cool Spots as hot spots for Wi-Fi and data

Public Media Corps (PMC), the New Media Institute's initiative to extend broadband adoption into underserved communities, has been plugging along since its launch in June in Washington, D.C., reports the MediaShift blog. The 15 fellows and their institutional partners are working in four neighborhoods of predominantly African American, Latino and immigrant communities. Part of the effort focuses on "Cool Spots," or mobile Internet access hubs, said Jacquie Jones, executive director of the National Black Programming Consortium, which is overseeing the work. "The fellows set up [Cool Spots] at block parties, festivals and outdoor markets and events where the public uses netbooks onsite to complete online surveys and learn more about the PMC," she said. "The Cool Spots are also 'hot spots' with free Wi-Fi to promote broadband use." Later this month (September) the PMC will use the data collected at Cool Spots to select three to four projects for the fellows and community partners to collaborate on.